The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes

Chapter 172 The Last Greeting (15)
"Yes. He's a savage, quite rightly. He's a tall, bearded, swarthy fellow. Looks like he's used to staying in country inns, not fancy hotels. He's a tough guy, and I wouldn't dare mess with him." .”

The truth began to emerge.There is a guy following this kind and godly lady.She was afraid of him, otherwise she would not have escaped Lausanne.He is still following the lady.Sooner or later he will catch up with her.Had he already caught up with her?Is this the reason why she has not been heard from?Had not the companions who traveled with her guarded her so that she was not in danger of violence or blackmail?What terrible conspiracy is hidden behind such a long chase?Here's what I'm trying to figure out.

I wrote to Holmes and told him that I was sure I had found out the cause of the case.Holmes called back but asked me to tell him what Dr. Schlesinger's left ear looked like.Holmes's idea of ​​humor is really queer, and this is not the time for jokes, so I don't pay much attention to it.Before he telegraphed, I was in Montpellier in pursuit of Marie.

I soon tracked down the dismissed maid and obtained her knowledge.She is very loyal, and the reason for leaving her mistress is because she feels that her master has a reliable person to take care of her, and because her marriage is approaching, she will have to leave her master sooner or later.When they lived in Baden, the mistress had lost her temper with her, and the mistress seemed to have doubted her loyalty.It is easier to separate in this way, otherwise it will be difficult to separate.Frances gave her fifty pounds as a wedding present.Like me, Marie was deeply suspicious of the stranger who had sent her mistress away from Lausanne.She saw him grab the lady's hand fiercely on the lakeside porch.This man is fierce and terrifying.Mary believed that Lady Frances was willing to go to London with the Schlesingers because she was afraid of this man.She never mentioned this to Mary, but many details convinced the maid that her mistress was living with anxiety.Having said that, she suddenly jumped up from her chair with a terrified expression. "Look!" she cried, "it's him! That bully has stalked here!"

Through the open window in the living room, I saw a guy with a black beard walking down the street, anxiously checking the numbers.Apparently, he was also on the trail of the maid.On impulse, I ran out into the street to talk to him.

"Are you British?" I said.

"So what?" he said angrily, eyes widening.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"No, you can't." He flatly refused.

It's awkward, but the most straightforward way is often the best way.

"Where is Lady Frances Carfax?" I asked.

He looked at me in surprise.

"What did you do to her? Why did you follow her? Be honest!" I said.

The guy roared and swooped on me.I'm not weak in fighting, but this guy has hands like iron pincers, and he's crazy like a devil.He put his hands around my throat and I could barely breathe.At this time, a bearded man in blue overalls rushed out of a hotel on the opposite street. He held a short stick and hit the guy on the arm at once, and he let go.Furious, he hesitated to let it go.After a roar, he left me and walked into the little villa I just came out of.I turned to thank the savior beside me.

"Hey, Watson," said he, "you've made a mess! You'd better take the express train back to London with me to-night."

An hour later, Holmes sat in the hotel room where I was staying, in his original costume.He said he had popped up because he thought he could get out of London and decided to intercept me at the next stop of my journey.He disguised himself as a worker and sat in the hotel waiting for me to show up.

"My dear Watson, it is marvelous that your investigations have never ceased," said he; "I have not yet been able to conceive of any omission on your part, which has the effect of making everyone aware, but Nothing was found."

"It probably wouldn't be much better for you to do this." I said disdainfully.

"Not 'probably.' I've done better than you. Philip Green lives in the same hotel as you. He's the new starting point for a deeper investigation."

A business card was brought in on a tray.Then the hooligan who had just hit me on the street walked in.He was startled when he saw me.

"What's the matter, Mr. Holmes?" he asked. "I saw your message and came here. But what has this man got to do with it?"

"He is my old friend and colleague, Dr. Watson, and he is helping me investigate the case."

The stranger held out a large, tanned hand in apology.

"Hope it didn't hurt you. When you said that I hurt her, I was really angry. To be honest, I can't control my emotions these days. My nerves are like live wires. The situation just now It is beyond my control. In the first place, Mr. Holmes, I should like to know how on earth you found out about me?"

"We have been in touch with Miss Frances' governess, Miss Dobney."

"Old Susan Dubney in a turban? I remember her."

"She remembers you too. It was the other day when you thought it best to go to South America."

"Oh, you know all about me, and I have nothing to hide from you. I swear to you, Mr. Holmes, that there is no man in the world who loves Lady Frances as sincerely as I do. I am a rough man, I know. But I'm no worse than other guys. But her mind is as simple as snow, and she can't stand a trace of rudeness. So, when she knows what I've done, she ignores me, but she still loves Me, that's the weird thing. She loves me and she's been celibate for me. Years passed and I made a fortune at Barberton. I thought maybe I could court her and impress her. I heard she Still unmarried. I found her in Lausanne and pursued her with all my might. Her body was weaker, but her will was still strong. The second time I went to her, she had left Lausanne. I followed her Arrived in Baden. Presently I heard that her maid was here. I am a vulgar man, fresh out of a savage life, so when Dr. Watson spoke to me like that, I couldn't help it. Look at For God's sake, please let me know how Lady Frances is doing as soon as possible."

"We have yet to investigate," said Holmes gravely. "What is your address in London, Mr. Green?"

"You can find me at the Lamb Hotel."

"I suggest you go back to the hotel and don't leave. We can find you if we need it, okay? I don't want to give you false hope, but you can rest assured that for the safety of Ms. Frances, we will do what we can and do our best All the best. We can't provide any more information at the moment. I'll give you a business card and keep in touch. Watson, pack your bags and I'll telegraph Mrs. Hudson to ask her to take care of both of us at 07:30 tomorrow morning. Prepare breakfast for a hungry traveler."

On our return to our lodgings in Baker Street we received a telegram.Holmes was very pleasantly surprised to see the telegram, and he handed it to me.It said "nicked or torn".The source of the telegram was Baden.

"What is this?" I asked.

"It's all there," replied Holmes. "You may recall that I asked you a question which seemed irrelevant to the case--the missionary's left ear. You did not answer me."

"I have already left Baden, and there is no way to find out."

"Yes. So I sent the same letter to the English hotel manager, and this is his reply."

"What does this mean?"

"It shows that we are dealing with a very cunning and dangerous figure, my dear Watson. Dr. Schlesinger, a missionary from South America, is none other than Henry Peters - one of the most infamous rogues that ever appeared in Australia. He The best at deceiving celibate women by taking advantage of their religious feelings. His so-called wife was an Englishman named Fraser, who was his right-hand man. His deception exposed his identity, and his physical condition. The character of the character—he was badly beaten in a fight in an Adelaide salon in [-], confirmed my suspicions. The poor lady fell to this diabolical pair' In the hands of the husband and wife, she is very likely dead, and even if she is not dead, she must be under house arrest. She has been unable to write to Miss Dubney or other friends, or she may not have arrived in London at all, otherwise she has already Passed through London. But the first possibility is not necessarily true, because the European continent has a registration system, it is difficult for foreigners to play tricks on the mainland police. The second situation is also impossible, because these gangsters want to find a prisoner The place is more difficult. My intuition tells me that she is in London, but I can't tell where she is based on the current situation, so I have to take it step by step, eat first, recharge my energy, and wait patiently. In the evening, I will drop by Scotland Yard go talk to our friend Lestrade."

Neither the regular police nor Holmes' efficient team can solve the mystery.It was very difficult to find these three in the midst of millions in London.Advertised, no.The clues were checked, but nothing was found, and the places where Schlesinger might often go to commit crimes were also investigated, but there was no progress.We also spied on his old accomplices, but they didn't go after him.A week passed and we got nothing.There was a gleam of light in the darkness. Someone pawned an old-fashioned Spanish silver earring at the Bovington pawn shop on Westminster Road.The man who pawned the earrings was a tall, clean-shaven man with a priestly air.According to the investigation, he used a false name and address.No one paid attention to what his ears looked like, and it was supposed to be Schlesinger.

The bearded friend who lived at the Lamb's came three times for information.On the third visit, the new discovery was less than an hour away.His heavy frame had lost much weight from anxiety, and his clothes seemed bulky.He often asked: "Can I do something for you?" Finally, Holmes finally agreed to his request.

"He's started jewelry. We should arrest him."

"Does this mean that something has happened to Lady Frances?"

Holmes shook his head.

"Maybe she's in custody. Obviously, let her go and they're going to kill themselves. We've got to be prepared for the worst."

"What can I do?"

"Those people don't know you, do they?"

"do not know."

"It's possible he'll go to another pawn shop in the future. If that's the case, we'll have to start from scratch. Plus, his prices are reasonable and the pawn shop doesn't ask him anything, so if he needs cash urgently, he might go again." Bovington pawn shop. I write a note to introduce you to the shop, and they will let you wait there. As soon as that guy shows up, you keep an eye on him and follow him to his place. Don’t be impulsive, let alone allowed Use force. You have to promise me that you will not act at will without my notice and permission."

For two days the Honorable Philip Green (as it turned out, he was the son of a famous admiral who commanded the Azov Sea Fleet in the Crimean War) did not bring us any leads.On the third night, he burst into our living room, shaking, every muscle in his muscular body quivering with excitement.

"Found him! I found him!" he cried.

He was so excited that he couldn't even speak coherently.Holmes said a few words of comfort to him, and pushed him into a chair and sat down.

"Now tell us all about it," said Holmes.

"His wife was at the pawnshop an hour ago, but the earring she brought was the other earring of a pair. She was tall, pale, and had mouse eyes."

"It is she," said Holmes.

"After she left the pawn shop. I followed her. She walked up the Kensington Road, and I followed her. She went straight into a funeral shop, Mr. Holmes."

My companion froze. "Really?" He asked with a trembling voice, indicating that behind that calm and pale face was an anxious heart.

"She was talking to a woman at the counter when I went in. I thought I heard her say 'it's late' or something. The woman in the store was explaining something. 'It should have been delivered long ago,' she replied, 'It's a bit longer, it's different from normal.' They stopped talking and looked at me. I just said something casually and left the store."

"You've done a good job. What's next?"

"She came out of the shop, and I ducked into a doorway. She looked about her, and seemed suspicious. Then she called a carriage and got in, and I called a carriage to follow her. At Brisbane She got out of the car at 3V, Botney Square, Dunton. I drove past the gate and parked on the corner of the square, watching the house."

"Who did you see?"

"It was pitch black except for one window on the ground floor. The shutters were drawn and you couldn't see what was going on inside. I stood there not knowing what to do when a covered van drove up with people in it. Two. These two got out of the car, took a coffin out of the car, and carried it up to the door steps, Mr. Holmes."

"what!"

"I was on the verge of rushing in. At that moment, the door opened and the two men entered with the coffin. It was the woman who opened the door. I stood there, and she was startled when she saw me, obviously recognizing her." Me, she quickly closed the door. I remembered what you told me, so I rushed over. "

"You have done an excellent job," said Holmes, writing on a little slip of paper. "Without a search warrant, our operation is unlawful. It is best for you to do it. Take this Take a note to the police and get a search warrant. Difficulty perhaps, but I think the sale of jewels is enough, and the other Lestrades will think about it."

"But they might kill her now. What was the coffin for? If it wasn't for her or for whom?"

"We will do our best, Mr. Green. There is no time. Leave the matter to us," continued Holmes, as our client hurried away. "Lestrade, Watson, will call the police. As for us , as usual, is informal. We must act on our own. The urgency of the situation compels us to resort to the most extreme measures, and even then it is morally justifiable. Go to Portney Square at once without losing a second .”

"Let's analyze the situation again," said he, as our carriage sped past the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Bridge, "these rascals first provoked Lady Frances away from her maid, and then drove the unfortunate lady Conned to London. Even if she had written letters, they withheld them. With the help of accomplices, they rented a furnished house. Once in they locked her up. And they had Got this precious jewellery. This is what they were trying to scam in the first place. They've already started selling some of it. They thought they were stealthy because they didn't expect anyone to care about this lady Safety. If you let her go, she will report them, so they will never let her go. However, they can't lock her up forever. So they can only use murder."

"The situation is already clear."

"Now let's think about it from another clue. When you think about the problem from two unrelated directions, Watson, you will find that the truth is getting closer. Now let's start with the coffin and argue in reverse. This accident shows that the lady is likely to be dead, but if the customary burial is to be done, it must be formally approved by a doctor's note. If the lady was murdered, they will bury her in the In the back garden. But now all their actions are open and in accordance with formal procedures. What does this mean? There is no doubt that they must have killed her in some way, and then deceived the doctor and disguised her as a She died of natural causes, perhaps by poisoning. But it's also strange to infer, how could they let the doctor approach her, unless the doctor is also their accomplice. But this assumption is not certain."

"Could it be that they forged the doctor's certificate?"

"Watson, it's very dangerous if they do that. No, I don't think they'll do it. Stop, coachman! We've passed the pawn shop, and this is obviously the funeral shop. Would you mind, Watson?" Go in? You'd be better off going. Ask what time tomorrow will be the funeral of the family in Botany Square."

The woman in the store told me without hesitation that the funeral would be at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. "You see, Watson, there is no secrecy, everything is public! They must have obtained a legal certificate, so don't be afraid. Well, there is no other way now, but to attack directly from the front. Are you ready?" ?”

"I have a cane!"

"Well, well, we are strong enough. 'Adequately armed to win.' We cannot wait for the police, nor let the law restrain our movements. You may go, coachman. We shall have good luck, Watson. , as we have always done together.”

He rang hard on the doorbell of a dark mansion in the center of Botany Square.The door opened at once, and a tall woman appeared in the dim light of the hall.

"What are you doing?" she snapped, keeping her eyes on us.

"I want Dr. Schlesinger," said Holmes.

"There is no such person." With that, she was about to close the door, but Holmes put his foot against it.

"I want to see the man who lives here, whatever his name may be." Holmes insisted on seeing his master.

She hesitated, then opened the door. "Oh, come in then!" she said, "my husband isn't afraid to meet anybody." She ushered us into a living room on the right side of the hall, turned on the gas lights, and left.

"Mr. Peters will be here in a minute," she said.

(End of this chapter)